The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-23
AN APPALLING DISASTER.
The Vermont Railroad Horror
Many Persons Killed.

The Vermont Railroad Horror
Many Persons Killed.
The place known as Woodstock Bridge,
where the Vermont Central Railroad crosses
the White River in Vermont, was the scene
Saturday morning Of disaster in which
about thirty-five persons lost their lives and
fully thirty other persons were injured
more or less severely. A rail, broken, 1t Is
thought, by the intense cold, caused two
passenger coaches and two sleeping cars
Of tho Montreal express train to leave
tho rails at the approach to the bridge.
The coupling with the farward part OF the
train broke The last four cars fell upon the
ice which covered the river at the bottom or
q rocky gorge sixty feet in depth. The
bridge, which was Of wood, gave way and
its timbers were burned by the
flames which destroyed the cars. Both
the passenger coaches were crowded
and there were twenty-five persons
in one Of the sleeping cars and nine IN the
other. 1t is estimated that the number of
lives endangered in the accident was at least
eighty. Of these not more than ten escaped
unhurt. Many of the passengers were on
the way to Montreal to enjoy the carnival.
thirty-five bodies in all had been taken
out Of the wreck. Only eight of this num-
ber were in any manner recognizable. De-
tails of the calamity are as follows:
The ill-fated train consisted Of two sec
tions. one from Boston comprising the FULL
man sleeper Puritan, an ordinary passenger
other section from Springfield, Mass,
including the Pullman sleeper St
Abaus and a common passenger car:
Both parts were united at White River aud
started for Montreal via the Central Yer
mont or Grand Trunk line. The train was
nearly an hour late.
West Hartford, the scene Of the awful
calamity, is q small hamlet on the White
River. The population consists OF farmers,
this point the Central Vermont Railroad
crosses the river obliquely. The bridge,
wooden one, $50 feet in length, is the longest
of its character in the country. 1t spans the
river at the height Of sixty feet. The river
was frozen solidly, ice to the thickness of
several inches having formed on it. The
cold was intense, the thermometer register
ing about twelve degrees below zero.
At the time the accident happened, the
train was running about forty miles an hour.
The locomotive had nearly passed the bridge
when the attention Of the engineer was sud
denly attracted by something unusual, and
in looking back, the night being fine moon
light one, he saw the last four cars go over the
end Of the bridge and land on the frozen
river in the gorge below. The baggage and
mail cars crossed the bridge in safety. AS
soon as possible the train was stopped, and
the railroad employees and few pas
sengers in the smoking compartment OF
the mail car went to the relief OF those
in the wreck. The descent of the steep en-
baukment was speedily made, and when they
arrived where they. expected to find the de,
tached portion Of the train they discovered
the four cars bottom up on the ice. Flames
Immediately burst forth.
The shrieSs of the wounded and dying
were agonizing in the extreme and inter-
mingled with their cries Of pain were the
calls for assistance of those who were alive,
but unable to extritate themselves. Then
came the fire to add to the horrors Of the
situation. Many were probably killed by the
terrible fall, but q large number who
were only slightly injured were so confined
in the wreck that they could not be rescued
and were burned alive. As the flames
spread the confusion increased and the
shriekS of tho victims whoSaw torturing death
by fire approaching were as agonlzlng as
any that ever fell upon human ear. The
reScuing party had nothing but their hands
to work with, and although they worked
with almost superhuman efforts, and rescued
many. the number that perished in the
flames was very large.
Nothing could be done to stay the flames
Help had been sent for to White River juno
ton and to West Hartford, about five miles
distant. Seven physicians soon arrived, and
cared for the injured people in the vicin-
ity, lending all aid possible. kilograms
were also sent to st. Adams, Burlington
and Rutland for assistance. A wrecking
party was sent from St. Albans, and relief
parties, with large number Of physicians
were sent from other points. On their ar
rival the work of dressing the wounds Of the
injured was fastened as rapidly as possible.